Former Daphne High star Robert Cooper enjoys switch to tight end at Auburn

JOHN DAVID MERCER/Staff photographerFormer Daphne High quarterback Robert Cooper (7) is taking his physical style to the tight end position in preseason drills at Auburn.

AUBURN -- Robert Cooper said he was already "gravitating" toward tight end when coaches asked him to move from quarterback to his new position.
The former Daphne High standout came to Auburn with plans of competing at quarterback, but said he had no hesitation about moving to tight end before the start of preseason camp.
"When we were going through (summer) drills, I was working at both quarterback and tight end just in case coach (Gus) Malzahn wanted to move me so I could be ready when he called me," Cooper said. "I'll do whatever they ask me to."
Cooper said he appreciates the physical nature of his new job.
"I still tried to be as physical as I could at quarterback," he said. "But when you put your hand down at tight end, you can really get in and mix it up. It's been fun. I like the physicality of it. I also like to go out and catch a pass every now and then."

Õ ON THE LINE: Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said he feels no second-team lineman is currently ready to contribute.
"Yeah, it is a concern," he said. "But we're not playing tomorrow."
Grimes feels a lot better about the first-team unit, comprised of center Ryan Pugh, guards Mike Berry and Byron "Lee" Isom, and tackles Lee Ziemba and Andrew McCain.
"If they keep making progress, I feel like we've got the makings of a really good, solid first unit," he said. "I've told them all nobody's spot is guaranteed. I want them to make sure they understand that they've got to keep working. If you don't, someone will rise up to that next level." Õ SLIMMED DOWN: Receiver Terrell Zachery dropped about 10 pounds at the urging of receivers coach Trooper Taylor, who feared Zachery's size would start to affect his speed.
"I don't think it was intentional. I was just eating every day," Zachery said. "I kind of felt it a little bit last year during the season. I thought I was a lot heavier than I should have been. So I just made it a goal after this season to try to lose some weight."
The 6-foot-1 Zachery is now listed at a svelte 203 pounds, and is one of three top receivers identified by Taylor, along with Darvin Adams and Montez Billings.
"I kind of settled in as a starter, but nothing's final until the first game," he said. "Coach Trooper told me just to work with the young guys to make sure they know what they're doing." Õ ON HIS FEET: Taylor's trademark attire -- a backward cap -- isn't the only way to recognize him on the practice fields. He's also the only coach in cleats.
"I've always coached in cleats," he said. "I played in cleats, so I coach the same way. When I demonstrate, I don't want to be slipping down. And you never know when one of (the players) will want to try you. If they want to try you, you better have some friction or you'll end up underneath that stadium. And if I need to run away from one, I sure don't need to slip." Õ STICKING TOGETHER: Striving to motivate his undermanned group of five cornerbacks (only four of whom are on scholarship), assistant coach Phillip Lolley has offered some cinematic analogies.
"I talk about the movie '300,'" he said. "They joined together and took one step at a time behind the shield and protected each other. That's the mentality we've got to have out there at all times ... I (tell the players), 'There's five warriors in this room, and we're ready for battle.'"